Drexel University and the William Penn Foundation are partnering to improve the quality of West Philadelphia child care centers by working with parents, caretakers, and community organizations. The effort will be coordinated by Drexel and funded by a three-year $1.8 million grant from William Penn. The West Philadelphia Promise Zone (a place-based community development program […]

The People’s Emergency Center (PEC) has announced that CEO and President Farah Jimenez resigned as of August 12 after four years leading the social services and community development nonprofit. “Despite what we’ve accomplished together, and the potential that remains at PEC, I’ve concluded that now is the time for me to step away and make […]

[metaslider id=30430] The revitalization of Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia, which cuts through distressed neighborhoods like Mantua, Saunders Park and Belmont, has taken place gradually. The growth of University City has brought student activity and new construction to the southern end of the avenue. Meanwhile, tireless community development corporations such as the People’s Emergency Center have […]

Mantua, neighborhood in West Philadelphia within Promise Zone The Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) is hiring a manager for the West Philadelphia Promise Zone. The Promise Zone initiative is a place-based program designed to revitalize distressed areas by coordinating efforts across sectors and agencies and prioritizing the zones for federal assistance, essentially […]

After a stint as a first-grade teacher in North Philadelphia, Alejandro Gac-Artigas, the founder of Springboard Collaborative, wondered why his students needed until mid-November to regain the learning losses that were happening over the summer. On average, low-income elementary students experience a three-month learning regression when school is out and they often struggle to catch […]

  Local stakeholders in West Philadelphia Promise Zone gathered for announcement of new legislation to aid community. Sen. Bob Casey announced a bill last week to create special tax credits for businesses who hire from within one of the five Promise Zones designated by the Obama Administration. The Pennsylvania senator made his announcement in front […]

Martin Luther King Plaza in South Philadelphia, an affordable housing development completed in 2011. Image via Flickr user Payton Chung City Council President Darrell Clarke announced a plan on Monday for the city to subsidize the construction of 1,500 affordable housing units. The plan calls for 1,000 rental units and 500 ownership units located in […]